By Sarah Richardson
The city of Lewisburg hosted a second public meeting at City Hall this week to hear input from the public regarding proposed wayfinding signage for the downtown region. Members of the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC), the Mills Group Historic Preservation and Architectural Firm, and city officials gathered Tuesday, Feb. 15 to hear feedback and ideas from attendees.
Ryan McClain, a creative design and planning associate with the Mills Group, said that the goal of the new signs is to highlight a variety of things downtown including parking areas, public restrooms, shops, restaurants, and historical areas. He proposed some rough designs that would be easy to follow without being overbearing in the historic district. While final decisions such as colors, sizing, and placement are all very much up in the air, participants at the meeting reviewed the amount of information presented on each sign, as well as general topics they would like to make sure are included.
McClain specified that they plan to use existing poles and structures for the signs when possible, such as the posts that hold the stoplights at the main intersections. This gives them the ability to highlight areas located off of Washington Street, as well, without taking up extra sidewalk space.
City Manager Misty Hill specified that no designs or locations have been finalized, and that the group is currently in the first planning phases. However, regardless of the type of signs chosen, everyone expressed strong interest in making sure they are updatable in order to keep up with the ever-changing and growing city. McClain proposed removable sections of each sign, updatable panels, or vinyl that can be easily replaced as some of many options available to do this. For an instantly updatable version, the utilization of QR codes is a fun, practical addition for visitors who wish to navigate via smart phone. By adding a QR code to the sign, anyone with a smart phone can scan the square using their camera to downtown relevant information, such as a map or a link to a website.
While the project continues through beginning-stage development, it remains an exciting opportunity to promote the city and highlight all that our “Coolest Small Town” has to offer.
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